Saturday, March 12, 2011

EU welcomes Moroccan reform pledge

The EU has welcomed the announcement of extensive constitutional reform in Morocco,(see here) describing the King’s decision as “a commitment to further democratisation”.

In a joint statement, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton and Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Štefan Füle said the reform “opens a period of political debate that should include all political actors and civil society and be a response to the legitimate aspirations of the Moroccan people.”

The proposed constitutional reform, which is in line with the ambitions of Morocco’s Advanced Status with the EU, touches on key elements for modernisation, such as regionalisation, the independence of the judiciary, the separation of powers, the strengthening of the government’s role and equality for women. “Once fully implemented, it will be a qualitative leap in the process of reforms already initiated by Morocco,” Füle and Ashton said, adding: “The European Union stands ready to support Morocco's efforts to implement such far-reaching reforms.”

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